Improvement in machine-guns



3 Sheets--Sheet'l.

W. A. MlLES.

Improvement in Machine-Guns.

Patented July 30,1872.

3 Sheets--Sheet 2. W. A. MILES.

Improvement in Machine-Guns.

NO-129,976. PatentedJulyBO, 1872.

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3Sheets--Sheet3.

Patented July 30,1872.

W. A. MILES.

Improvement in Machine-Guns.

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()rrron.

WILLIAM A. MILES, OF SALISBURY, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINE-GUNS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 129,976, dated July 30, 1872.

Specification describing a new and Improved Battery-Gun, invented by WILLIAM AUGUS- TUS MILES, of Salisbury, in the county of Litchfield and State of Connecticut.

This invention relates to a novel batterygun, which is provided with sliding barrelsits principal characteristic. The entire mechanism becomes simple and powerful by the use of the sliding barrels, and all the intricate de-. vices usually applied to battery-guns can be dispensed with. The use of such arms for field service and their exposure to the influences of rough roads and weather are thereby made more practicable than ever before.

The invention consists, first and chiefly, in the arrangement of reciprocating barrels, arranged side by side, and connected with rotary cams, or other mechaniim, or levers whereby they are successively or jointly moved back and forward. During their backward motion they close over the cartridges that have dropped behind them upon sliding supports. When quite moved back their motion is arrested and the cartridges are exploded. The barrels are next moved forward to allow the empty cartridge-shells to drop down behind them. The invention consists, secondly, in the use and application of the aforementioned' sliding supports, which are carried forward by means of springs or weights, or by connection with the barrels, and held against the breech-ends of the barrels, except while the latter are entirely drawn forward, when there will be an open space between the two for the cartridge-shell to drop through. The invention furthermore consists in the new loading mechanism, which is composed of reciprocating carriers that convey the cartridges from a receiver to the upper sides of the barrels, from which said cartridges ar finally dropped upon the sliding supports. he invention also consists in the new firing mechanism, composed of hammers, springs, and rotary eccentrics, the latter serving to slightly draw the hammers off the ends of the firing-pins after firing, in order to allow the said pins to be carried back by their springs.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 rep- :resents a plan or top view of my improved battery-gun. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation, partly in section, of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical longitudinal sections of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A in the drawing represents the gun-carriage, mounted on wheels B B, and made of suitable form and size. Upon it is pivoted, by a horizontal pin, a, a plate, 0, which can be held horizontal or more or less inclined by means of a tail-screw, b. A plate, 1D, resting on the plate 0 and pivoted to the front end of the latter by means of a vertical pin, d, constitutes the direct support of the frame E, in which the barrels F F, the operatin g-shaft G, and all the other mechanism of the gun are secured. By means of a horizontal screw, 0, at the back of the plates 0 D, the plate D and frame E can be swung on the pivot 01 to one side or the other for directing the barrels more or less obliquely. The barrels F F, of which a suitable number is employed, are of cylindrical form, but squared toward their breech-ends. They are fitted, side by side, in the frame E, as shown, but are held loosely to be free to move back and forward. The barrels are prevented from turning by their squared breechends, which fit snugly into squared chambers of the frame E. Each barrel F is, by a rod, f, connected with an eccentric, g, which is mounted upon the shaft G. Said shaft is hung transversely in the frame E, and has a crankhandle, h, whereby it can be revolved in the direction of the arrow, shown in Fig. 4. There are as many eccentrics g mounted upon the shaft G as there are barrels F in the gun, each eccentric being connected with one of the barrels. The eccentrics are so mounted upon the shaft that the barrels may be moved simultaneously or alternately, and in equal degree. Back of each barrel F is arranged, within the frame E, a slide, H, with atop groove, as indicated in Fig. 2. A spring, "5, back of each slide H, tends to hold the same in contact with the breech-end of the barrel, in the manner clearly indicated in Fig. 3. However, such spring 1' is only able to move the slide H as far forward as is shown in Fig. 4, while the barrel is moved further forward, as shown in the same figure, there being then an open space between the barrel and the slide H. When the barrel is moved backward it crowds the slide H back with it until the barrel arrives in contact with the breech-block part j of the frame E, as in Fig. 3. The firing-needle I 1s fitted through this breech-block j and carried back by a spring, as in ordinary fire-arms. The

square part of each barrel. is for the greater part covered by thetop portion of the frame E. Directly in front of the breech-block j, however, an opening is left above the barrel as long as and for the admission of the cartridge. With each barrel F is connected a sliding cartridge-conveyer, J, from which a rod, l, projects through an car, at, of the barrel, as shown. This conveyer J slidesupon the top plate a of the frame E, and is slotted to form a chamber for receiving the cartridge. While the slot of the conveyor J is above the plate a a cartridge is deposited within said slot. When the barrel is moved back its 'ear 1 carries the conveyer back with it until the cartridge arrives over the opening between the breech-block j and the plate n. The cartridge is then dropped upon the barrel, which has a slight cavity in top to receive it. When next the barrel is moved forward, the cartridge, being no longer confined in the con- 2v'eyer,.is prevented from moving. forward by the rear edge of the plate a, and is thus held between j and or. until the barrel is so far forward that its breech-end arrives under the rear edge of a. The cartridge then drops upon the slide H into the top grooved cavity th ereof. (See Fig. 4.) As the barrel is next moved back it gradually receives the cartridge within it, crowding the slide H back, meanwhile, until the barrel is in contact with the breech-block j, when it fully embraces. the cartridge, as in Fig. 3. Meanwhile, another cartridgeis placed upon the barrel by the conveyer J. The forward part of the slide H has a projecting flange, 0, which is overlapped by the cartridgehead and fitsa recess in the breech-end of the barrel. The barrel is also recessed to receive the cartridge-head. The cartridge is thus properly confined, as is clearly shown in Fig. 3, and fired. When the needle I is struck by the hammer L, in the manner hereinafter described, it causes the explosion of the cartridge thus confined in the barrel, after which the barrel is -moved forward. Such forward motion, however, does not cause the immediate detachment of the empty cartridge-shell from the slide H, as the head of the shell remains confined to the latter by the lip 0; but the slide H moves forward, propelled bythe spring 1?, until it reaches its most forward position. The barrel, continuing to move forward, gradually withdraws from the cartridgeshell, until it finally detaches entirely from it, when the shell, losing its support, drops down through an aperture of the frame E, in the manner indicated in Fig. 4, or may be thrown down by a spring, shown in the same figure, and is thus discharged. A fresh cartridge, the one formerly ontop of the barrel, has, meanwhile, been deposited upon the slide H, (also as in Fig. 4,) and is loaded into the barrel by the subsequent backward motion of the same. In this manner the automatic loading, firing,

and discharging process can be carried on indefinitely as long as a supply of cartridges is fed to the convcyer J. 'It need hardly be mentioned that at every forward motion each barrel occasions the forward motion of the conveycr J connected with it, bringing it in position for receiving afresh cartridge. The supply of cartridges is contained within a receptacle, M, which is placed upon the frame E,

and held in place by a spring-catch, p, or other equivalent mechanism or device. "The box or cartridge-holderM, which is preferably arched,

as in Fig. 3, toobtain a greater length in rear than in front for the proper accommodation of the cartridge-heads, is by a series of vertical partitions, q q, subdivided into aseries of vertical cartridge-chambers, in such number that there are equally twice or three times as many of such chambersas there are barrels, or any other convenient number. of a cartridge-conveyer, J, arrives under one of the chambers of the holder M, the lowermost cartridge within the latter drops into the conveyer to be carried backward by the same, I front portion of the as above described, the conveyer, meanwhile, supporting the other cartridges in the chamber until the slot again arrives in position for a new supply, and so forth. When one set of chambers-4'. 0., one chamber for each barrel-has been emptied,

the cartridge-holder can be shifted laterallyto bring a full set of chambers in position, or removed to be replaced by a full cartridge-holder. A sliding bottom is provided for every cartridge-holder M to support the cartridges while the holder is disconnected or not to be used;

but when the holder 'is in place and ready for firing the slide is withdrawn to letthe cartridges be properly fed by the conveyers. The several hammers L L, as many as there are barrels, and one for each of the same, are pivoted in the back part of the frame E by a transverse pin, 8, and have backwardly-projecting arms t, with or without friction-rollers, in contact with powerful springs, N. For every hammer L there is mounted upon the shaft G a cam, 0. From every hammer L projects also an arm, a, downwardly, and another arm, a, forwardly, the latter, preferably, with a friction-roller at its extremity. When the arm at is struck by a pin, to, that projects from the side of the cam 0, itis carried ahead by the rotation of the said cam with the shaft G, and causes the hammer to be cooked, as in Fig. 3, and, when the pin 'wJms cleared the arm a, to be vehemently swung forward by the spring N against the needle I to fire a cartridge. After firing the arm 4: rests on the edge of the cam O, and is speedily swung on an' enlargement, :0, of said cam to clear the needle I, and allow the same to be moved back far enough so as not to project forward of the breech j. The enlargement a: occupies. nearly the entire circumference of the cam 0, there being only a small depression, 3 in the latter to receive the arm V while the hammer is firing.

Whenever the slot Having thus described my invention, Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In abatterygun, a series of barrels adapted to reciprocate successively in a common frame, when operated by suitable mechanism, so as to besuccessively and continuously loaded and fired, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with the movable barrels F F of a battery-gun, shaft G and its eccentrics and connecting-rods, as specified.

3. The sliding cartridge-supports H H, applied in the breech-block, and arranged to be moved forward by the springs or barrels, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the reciprocating barrels F F with the reciprocating slidesH H, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

5. The plate n and breech-block j, disposed with reference to the slidingbarrel F and support H, so that a cartridge placed upon the barrel will, after the forward motion of the same be deposited upon the support H, as

specified.

6 The sliding top grooved support H, provided with the projecting flange or lip 0, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. The hammer L, provided with the arms t, u, and v, as specified.

8. The combination of the spring N, cam O, and pin 10 with the hammer L, to operate the same, substantially as herein shown and described.

9. The shaft G, provided with the eccentrics g for moving the barrels, and with the cams O for actuating the hammers, asset forth.

, WILLIAM A. MILES. Witnesses:

GEo. W. MABEE, T. B. Mosnnn. 

